By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – A Midwestern mayor with an unfamiliar name keynoted the Illinois Democratic County Chairs brunch during Illinois State Fair week.
That was Pete Buttigieg in 2018.
Wednesday’s guest was Cincinnati mayor Aftab Pureval (pictured), whose mother is from Tibet and whose father is from Punjab, India. His story is that his parents came to Ohio, and one generation later, he is mayor.
His pivotal question: “What do you stand for, and who do you stand for? In this America, where Donald Trump wants to put children in cages and deport millions of Americans from the country that they have only ever known, what do you stand for, and who do you stand for? In this America, where Donald Trump negates the idea of climate change as the existential threat facing not just us but the entire world, what do you stand for, and who do you stand for?”
Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton used the Maya Angelou quote about when someone shows you who they are, believe them. She then said former President Trump and running mate U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-Oh.) have shown us they are “weird.”
She also foresees the day when people can say, “Madame President.”
Republicans’ day at the fair is Thursday.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]
